Why choose this course?

Progression into work or further study stands at 100 per cent. The National Student Survey 2017 showed that 90 per cent of our students are employed within six months of finishing the course, with 60 per cent working as media professionals.

In addition, our graduates' first job salaries after six months of finishing the course reach £25,000 - higher than the UK average of £19,000 for journalism graduates.‬‬‬‬‬Our alumni have progressed to roles such as senior broadcast journalist at the BBC, digital news editor at OK! Magazine, sports journalist at the Daily Star, and picture editor at The Sun. They also work in the business press, broadcasting, PR and media-related roles like fashion copywriter.

What you will study

Year 1 introduces the skills for becoming an effective journalist including digital skills, mobile reporting, video and social media, news and feature writing. You will also study the broader context of journalism in society and the critical issues facing journalists today.

In Year 2, you will be able to develop your skills in a range of specialist modules including broadcast, data journalism and magazine journalism. In the Practical Journalism 2 module you will produce your own live digital and print publications. You will also study core subjects such as video, layout and media law and have the opportunity to pursue a research project. You can also choose to study abroad at one of our partner universities.

Year 3 enables you to put your learning into practice through hands-on experience at The River Newspaper andRiver Online - a past winner of the Guardian Student Media Award newspaper of the year. You will have the opportunity to undertake work experience and internships in London, the hub of the UK's media industry, supported by our work placement scheme.

You will study key subjects such as ethics and media law to prepare you for the workplace, and specialist modules such as sport, fashion, business or international journalism. You will expand your critical and analytical skills by undertaking a research paper on a specialist module or through a dissertation.

Foundation year - Humanities & Arts

Module listing

Please note that this is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list. Those listed here may also be a mixture of core and optional modules.

Year 1 (Level 4)

Digital Skills for Journalists

Digital Skills for Journalists

This two semester-long module introduces students to the background of the ‘online revolution' and its implications for the role of the journalist and the future of the industry. Through lectures and practical workshops students will gain understanding of the impact of the internet including social media on reporting and writing and an introduction to multimedia reporting including video. Assessment for this module takes the form of a portfolio (100%) of multimedia content including video, some of which is researched and created in students' own time.

Journalism in the Wider World

A key part of a journalist's role is to inform readers what is going on in the world. To do this well, journalists have to understand how the world works and why. This module aims to build on existing understanding to provide students with the necessary political, economic, historical social and cultural context to underpin their development as journalists. Areas for exploration and discussion will include Britain's role in the world; the UK's relationship with Europe, the US and the developing world; British institutions and their role and influence (including the monarchy, parliament, the judiciary, Whitehall, religious bodies, universities, local government, banks and finance houses) and the history and emergence of competing ideologies such as capitalism, socialism and liberalism. The module will explore emerging social and cultural trends and the way these are covered in the media. Underpinning the module will be the key questions of "Where does power lie?" "Who has control?" "Who is responsible?" "Who really runs things?"

Practical Journalism 1

Writing is a key communication tool of journalism. This module introduces you to the language, practical conventions, contexts and functions of written journalism in the multimedia environment. Through studying and critically analysing the structure, style and content of articles published on websites, in newspapers and magazines you will begin to develop an understanding of how copy is gathered, put together and directed at specific readerships.

Through lectures and through practice in workshops you will learn to identify a story from raw, diffuse or incomplete information by the application of news values, to write it in appropriate style, to add headlines and online "furniture" and to upload it to a content management system.

Writing clear, accurate and engaging text relies on understanding and applying the rules of grammar, using the right words and constructing coherent prose. This module also helps you to boost your grammar and punctuation skills, choose and use appropriate words and craft effective sentences and paragraphs. You will discover the underlying rules and principles, consider the impact of your writing decisions and develop your own writing and editing skills.

Also, by examining and practising skills needed to develop and write pieces such as: originating ideas, researching, assessing the reliability of sources, interviewing, organising material and adhering to house style, you will aim to produce journalistic news pieces and feature articles that are suitable for publication.

Thinking about Journalism

This is a core module for full and half-field Journalism students. It offers a critical introduction to the discipline of journalism in all its forms, with particular emphasis on news. At its heart is a question central to studying journalism: why do journalists approach their trade in the way(s) they do, and what are the values, norms and assumptions underpinning their professional practice? The module commences with an examination of news values - the (often unspoken) 'rules of thumb' that determine the subjects/stories journalists report and the angles they pursue. It adopts a critical approach to examining reporting practice - introducing academic concepts like framing, agenda-setting and active audience theory to consider not only how journalists select and/or construct their narratives but also the increasing contribution of audiences themselves to the shaping of news discourse.

The module examines two other issues central to the role of the journalist: objectivity and public interest. Students are encouraged to critique the question of objectivity, with reference to real-world examples that both uphold and challenge this idea, including the practice of openly partisan/campaigning journalism. Public interest is examined in light of recent controversies that have exposed legal and ethical issues with contemporary journalism - including the 'phone-hacking' scandal and ensuing Leveson Inquiry and criminal prosecutions.

The module also acts as a more general introduction to the academic strand of the BA Journalism degree - introducing students to Kingston's personal tutor system and the conventions of essay-writing, Harvard referencing and exam technique.

Year 2 (Level 5)

Broadcast Journalism

Broadcast Journalism

This module will give students the hands-on editorial experience of news broadcasting using video and audio and provide them with the tools needed to deliver compelling stories. The course will be taught through weekly lectures and technical workshops. At the end of the module students will have a digital portfolio containing a TV package and a radio report.

Students will be supported while they learn how to capture and record news using industry standard equipment. They will develop an ability to write for pictures and to craft sound. They will receive voice coaching and get the chance to read a radio bulletin and present pieces to camera. They will become confident in the language of the broadcast newsroom. In an increasingly digital media environment broadcast news has had to adapt the way it produces content. These technological advances have also influenced the way people digest news coverage. Therefore, alongside learning traditional methods of broadcast journalism students will also be introduced to podcasts. They will learn what the digital world means for storytelling and what the video-enabled Internet means for live reporting.

Finally although the world of conventional broadcasting is changing rapidly, good ideas will always hold creative currency and students will be required to generate and pitch two original TV and radio ideas with particular audiences in mind.

Journalism in History and Literature

Journalism in History and Literature

This module aims to set the processes and outputs of UK journalism within their historical and literary context. You will develop an understanding of how journalism developed as a commercial activity and a recognisable profession in the nineteenth century and how these beginnings influenced the shape of journalism throughout the twentieth century, with the growth of the tabloid press, the battles of the press barons, the rise and fall of the power of the print unions and the growth of consumer and lifestyle journalism. You will discuss and debate key issues such as the growth of campaigning and investigative journalism and the freedom of the press in a democratic society.

You will be introduced to the journalism of such writers as Defoe, Swift, Steele, Dickens, as well as more modern literary journalists such as George Orwell. You will develop an understanding of how these writers helped shape the course of journalism. You will also have the opportunity of studying two key texts in depth, chosen as examples of literary journalism, and examining them in their historical, cultural and theoretical contexts.

Journalism Research Paper

This module offers students a chance to carry out an in-depth piece of research into an aspect of journalism which interests them and to work independently under the guidance of a tutor. Students will be able to choose their own topic, frame it in the way they want and select the most appropriate primary and secondary sources. Students can use their research not only to gain insight into a chosen topic but also to contact and question journalists working in the industry to find out what is really going on and to start networking. This module provides an excellent foundation for independent empirical research focused within the main course discipline. It will be especially relevant for students planning to do a dissertation or special study in their final year.

Magazine Journalism

The UK magazine industry has never been more exciting and challenging. Despite digital and economic changes modern magazines devoted to trends and interests endure. This module looks at how these contemporary publications are positioned and how they co-operate to weave together strands of information. In this module you will learn about the contexts within which contemporary magazines operate. You look at the current state of the periodicals sector and reflect on trends and future developments by researching, originating and developing a magazine concept for a specified readership. You will build up effective editorial, team-working skills and adapt these to the needs of differing audiences and objectives through the origination and production of your own magazine. You will apply journalistic skills to create a portfolio of articles and will utilise design and layout skills to produce a dummy magazine.

Practical Journalism 2

This is a core module taken by both all second year journalism students. It aims to expand, develop and hone the print and online skills acquired in Practical Journalism 1. The module will also explore how journalism is shaped by the legal and regulatory context in which it is practised. Students will focus on story development, writing and editing in print and online, layout and page design, and video story-telling. They will also learn Teeline shorthand, aiming to reach a speed of 60-100 wpm. They will acquire a working knowledge of libel, contempt and privacy law as well as court reporting skills.

Year 3 (Level 6)

Journalism Dissertation

Journalism Dissertation

This module aims to encourage independent research and hone study and research skills developed earlier in the degree course. Students will be asked to formulate a specific hypothesis relating to journalism and then conduct a systematic and sustained inquiry focused on that hypothesis. Students will conduct secondary research but great value will also be placed on their own primary research efforts. At the end of this year-long module, students will be assessed on a 10,000 word piece of writing that is expected to demonstrate keen analytical skills and logical thinking and offer a cogent, coherent argument that complies with the dissertation model.

Journalism, Ethics and the Industry

This module aims to build on students' critical understanding of the function of journalism, its place in society and its ethical, legal, technological and commercial framework. It develops material on the nature, history and purpose of journalism covered in earlier modules to critically examine how the UK media has risen to the challenge of reflecting and representing the ever more socially and culturally diverse Britain of today – as well as its duty to accurately and impartially report on foreign affairs and conflicts.

By considering concepts such as truth, objectivity, accountability, a free press, freedom of information and public interest in relation to journalism, students will develop an awareness of the tensions between journalists, readers, sources and proprietors in a changing media landscape and what it means to be an ethically responsible journalist.

Students will also examine the impact of social, technological and commercial changes on the practice and business of journalism, including the decline of conventional advertising, the increasing plurality of media forms, changing audience demands and expectations, and the rise of news aggregating websites and cheap ‘content' over costly original reporting.

Practical Journalism 3

The module incorporates involvement in the production of the campus newspaper, The River, and its web-based version, River Online as well as undertaking a period of at least two weeks work experience within a media organisation working in a professional environment producing and practising journalism. Each student will take on an editorial role on The River as well as contributing news and feature articles. Roles may vary, but will allow students to observe and participate in essential activities which contribute to producing real journalism. Teaching takes place in our dedicated newsroom, equipped with live news feeds, online content management system, and industry-standard software packages including Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.The placement will typically be for two weeks, although students who show initiative in negotiating more substantial work experience may be allowed to extend this period.

Special Study: Literary Journalism and War

In this course you will read closely four exceptional books of journalism dealing with war. In these books -- from George Orwell's account of the Spanish Civil War to Dexter Filkins's reporting on the American invasion of Iraq -- the writers are centre stage, exploring their own feelings and beliefs as they try to makes sense of the chaos of war. Through analysing the texts you will examine the historical, cultural and theoretical contexts of the conflicts themselves and and also how journalism deals with describing war and through close attention to the style of these writers you will become familiar with literary journalism and be given an opportunity to develop your own narrative writing.

Specialist Journalism: Business

This highly practical module will allow students to explore in depth and actively engage with the world of business journalism. This course will encourage students to develop their researching, writing and reporting skills to allow them to write professional news, interviews and features for the specialist and national press.

Students will learn how to read balance sheets to take the financial health of companies and institutions. They will learn how to use databases and statistics, to find stories about the health of the economy, and assess the role of big business in the economic and political spheres.

Students will come to understand important economic and financial terms and trends (for example GDP, balance of payments, stockmarket indices, house price indices, retail price indices) and use these to put business stories in context.

Students will use their new found skills in analysing data to dig behind the statistics and find real stories about corporate activity or wrong-doing, and analyse the use and misuse of private and public funds.

Students will demonstrate their skills in a second semester original, independent business journalism project.

At the heart of the course, students will engage with on-going ethical debates about relationships between business and financial journalists and their sources, and the boundaries such journalists need to observe under the Press Complaints Commission and other professional codes of practice.

Specialist Journalism: Fashion

This highly practical module allows students to explore in depth and actively engage with the world of fashion journalism. Students will develop their researching, writing and reporting skills to allow them to write professional fashion news, catwalk and trend reports, interviews and features for specialist fashion and mainstream press and websites. They will also explore different fashion forums and build a range of digital skills such as blogging, vlogging and social media networking. They will learn about editorial styling – putting together shopping pages, makeovers and get-the-look pieces – and gain an understanding of main fashion and photoshoots. They will apply their newly-gained skills to the production of a portfolio of cutting-edge fashion journalism.

The practices of fashion journalism will be placed in a context throughout the module. Through a series of lectures and in-class discussions students will gain insight into the fashion industry and how it works: the designers, brands, seasons and how clothes are made. They will acquire an appreciation of the fashion industry's relationship with the media, the role and function of fashion PR, and the historical, cultural and global economic issues which fashion journalists must understand.

Students will demonstrate their skills and knowledge in an original, independent fashion journalism project.

Specialist Journalism: Sport

This module offers an introduction to and broad experience of sports journalism. It is a practical course aimed at helping students to develop their writing and reporting skills to produce professional sports copy, including deadline-driven match reports, running copy, interviews, sports news stories, profiles, factboxes, comment, analysis and newspaper/multi-media sports packages. It also aims to help students understand the context and pressures under which sports journalism is produced in the modern media. Workshops, alongside live reporting assignments, will be used to explain concepts and develop skills. During project work in the second half of the module, students will produce a publishable sports package. Guidance will be offered though seminars and tutorials.

You will have the opportunity to study a foreign language, free of charge, during your time at the University on a not-for-credit basis as part of the Kingston Language Scheme. Options currently include: Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

We aim to ensure that all courses and modules advertised are delivered. However in some cases courses and modules may not be offered. For more information about why, and when you can expect to be notified, read our Changes to Academic Provision.